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Soft footsteps crossed the lush meadow that hid the ruins of a once great land. Once great nation.
The shuffle of a blue cardigan being pulled closer sounds out above the footsteps with a small sigh complimenting it.
A boy- No. The young man stands hidden at the edge of a crater. The pale blue-purple particles of an invisibility potion swirling in the air around him keeping him hidden from any onlookers, not that there is many these days.
“Soon. Wilbur. Soon.” The boy- No. Man mutters to himself before turning back the way he came.
A sunrise casts brilliant oranges and yellows across the field the boy is standing in as he walks away.
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Not many people hang around in the open on the server anymore. Everyone is hidden. Moved on. Or is just simply gone. Tommy hasn’t seen anyone since Wilbur left him on that shore in the rain. Tommy couldn’t even pull himself up to stand until long after the rain had passed that day. Some would argue that that exodus drove Tommy to use invis pots and hide underground yet again in his lifetime.
Maybe it was that cursed man with a smile dripping in green. Just maybe his release caused this obsession in the boy. Maybe.
Tommy quickly descended into the underground bunker he had taken to living in for the last couple months. It was very furnished. There wasn’t even a bed. Just a pile of blankets in the corner and the sparing amount of dirty laundry that Tommy couldn’t be bothered to clean. It's not like he goes anywhere that would require him to. He doesn’t even really sleep most nights. Maybe a couple hours. Maybe the full night if he drinks an invis pot not long before bed.
Honestly, most nights Tommy spent hours farming potatoes in the next room over. He didn’t even eat that many potatoes these days. It just brought an out sort of comfort to him. To some degree, it was almost like he was reclaiming this vegetable from the masked man that used them against him.
The whole situation seemed a lot like Pogtopia all over again. Not that Tommy would ever admit that. He was not in a downward spiral of insanity like his bro- Wilbur was all that time ago. He just liked hiding and using invis pots because no one could see him. They couldn’t judge him. They couldn’t stare at him in a pitiful manner. None of it. Tommy just got to exist for the first time in a very, very long time. That's the only reason he would ever use invis pots. They were a small, but important comfort to him.
Either way, Tommy slowly made his way over to the makeshift wooden desk in the corner past the bar of brewing stands. Tommy had a proper task today. He was finally ready. He wanted to be free again and he was going to make it happen.
Today, he was finally messaging Tubbo for the first time in months. Tommy wanted his help to finally take down Dream once and for all.
They had no reason to keep him alive anymore. Wilbur-
Wilbur was gone. To Utah. Tommy doesn’t even know where Utah is much less how Wilbur was connected to the place.
The image of a tall enderman hybrid folded over on himself to appear smaller flashed in Tommy’s mind.
No. Tommy wasn’t going to put them through the pain of revival. Not by Dream. There has to be another way for that to happen. Tommy hasn’t even seen Ghostboo in ages. Not since the weeks right after the prison break. Ranboo did too much for Tommy to drag them back into this world through the Revive Book. Tommy wanted nothing more than for the Revive Book to finally burn in the hell it came from. He wanted it gone. He wanted to exist like a normal teenager again. Not- Not the way he does now. A former shell of himself. That’s- That’s why he is writing to Tubbo. Yes. The message to Tubbo.
Tommy had managed to find some really nice high-quality paper laying around in one of Puffy’s old buildings as well as some wax for a wax seal. Tommy hasn’t been able to use this kinda stuff in ages (Since before his Exile). He figured that Tubbo would really appreciate how nice the paper is. Tommy smiled a bit at the thought of his best friend. He’s really missed Tubbo a lot these past couple months. He was one of the people that Tommy refused to follow while invis. That felt like overstepping a boundary. Although, its not like Tommy went many places when he was invisible especially not after the things he saw at Las Nevadas not too long ago. Tommy was okay with just going out to enjoy the fresh air and see the occasional person pass him by. It was safer that way. Yes. Safer.
Anyways, Tommy didn’t write a long letter to Tubbo. Just short and brief enough to tell Tubbo that he needed his help again and that they were going to meet at the top of Punz’s tower in a day or two.
Tommy, then, carefully sealed the letter and grabbed an invis pot to go drop it off. He was very quick about making it to Tubbo’s house. He didn’t want to see Tubbo quite yet. In a couple of days, he’d be ready. Yup. Big man, Tommy would be ready in just a couple days.
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Tommy stands at the top of the tower that had stood for so long. The air was actually quite still for it being mid-day, but that was okay with Tommy. He could see the forest green of Tubbo’s shirt rush towards the tower.
Tommy’s heart hurt for the moment at seeing Tubbo again. His hand flinched towards the invisibility potion he was keeping in the satchel across his body.
‘No. Now is not the time for invis. It’s just Tubbo. Just Tubbo. You are ready to see him again. He's your best friend. No invis.’ He repeated under his breath to ground himself.
This would be the first person that Tommy saw face to face since Wilbur left. Tommy’s heart pounded against his chest at this fact. Anxiety shot up his spine.
Luckily, Tubbo was quick to make his way up the tower to Tommy. Tubbo was dressed again in that stupid green button-up that he still didn’t manage to button up correctly. His Snowchester jacket sat neatly on his shoulder wide open. Tommy doesn’t think that Tubbo has been many other places than home or maybe with Micheal, where ever he was at this point. Tommy didn’t know other than a passing rumor that Tubbo, Eret, and Techno had teamed up to find him not long after the prison break.
“Tommy!” Tubbo cheered as he surged towards his best friend. “How are you? It's a little weird to meet at the top of a tower, but you said you need help with something? You almost never ask for help!”
Tommy was almost overwhelmed by the presence of Tubbo. He had so much energy again. “Bee boy! I’ve been alright. Uhhh. I do have something I need your help with.”
“Really? What is it? What have you been up to? I haven’t seen you in ages, man.” Tubbo slightly tilted his head. His hands fidgeted with some small gear that he happened to have in his pocket.
Tommy takes a deep breath. “Uhh. Not much. I’ve just been around you know. Especially after Wilbur left not too long ago.”
“Wilbur? Wilbur left? I just saw him within the last couple months. I had a wonderful chat with him and we spent some time reminiscing. What do you mean he’s left? Where’d he go?”
Tommy slightly tensed at these questions. It wasn’t enough to hide from Tubbo whose eyebrows lowered at that response. “He left. He’s gone. He led me out to this area behind Las Nevadas that had a lot of open sea and then got in a boat and left for Utah? I don’t even know where Utah is much less how he left. It was so confusing.”
“That isn’t why I sent a letter to you though. Follow me. I want to show you something.” Tommy was quick to lead Tubbo down the ladder and towards his former homestead.
Tommy’s nerves jittered as he led Tubbo to his underground bunker. He spent the walk over reminiscing with Tubbo about past times and how he had a plan. Tubbo was confused by the lack of explanation, but he was here to support Tommy in any way possible. Tommy was and has always been his best friend. It’s been them since the beginning. Before Wilbur. Before L’Manberg. Before Techno. Before even the discs and Dream. Tommy and Tubbo. Tubbo and Tommy. Always and forever together.
It had been so long since he had last seen Tommy though. This Tommy that was currently in front of him seemed to be so on edge. It was making Tubbo extremely concerned. He hasn’t seen Tommy in ages and here he is for the first time in forever. The only issue was that he seemed super jittery and paranoid. It had calmed down as they had entered the tower that dated from long before L’Manberg was even a thought, but there was an edge in Tommy’s voice that Tubbo had picked up on.
Tubbo wanted to know what was happening. What was going on with Tommy? What changed him so much in the past couple months? He said Wilbur had left? And something about Las Nevadas and Quackity being gone. Maybe Tubbo’s spent too much time away working with Eryn.
As Tommy moved around the small room with a hole in the center leading downwards, Tubbo caught the glance of a potion bottle in Tommy’s bag. Now, Tommy and Tubbo have used potions off and on for years. They’ve fought in too many wars not to. However, Tubbo really can’t think of a reason why Tommy would have any now. Yeah, Dream’s out and about, but no one has seen him in ages as far as Tubbo knows. Why have a potion with him?
Tubbo tuned back into the conversation. Tommy was now going on about his plan to kill Dream once and for all.
Tubbo agreed with Tommy to some degree. Dream did deserve to die, but Tubbo’s had a lot of time to think in the past couple months. He was even made up with Aimsey last week. Tubbo’s opinions on death and murder have changed greatly over the last two years. Tubbo understood Tommy’s aim, but at the same time this whole situation felt off to Tubbo. A bit too much like Pogtopia.
“Tubbo. It’s been me and you from the beginning. I’m asking you once more if you are willing to join me in taking down Dream once and for all.” Tommy stood across the hole from Tubbo. His expression is the most serious Tubbo’s seen in ages from Tommy.
“Of course, man. I’d follow you to the end of the world if you asked me to. We are in this together!”
Tommy was quick to walk around the gaping hole to stand next to Tubbo and put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you sure?”
“Yes! Pinky promise!”
The two lock pinkies. To anyone else, this action would seem silly and childish. However, these two never had a proper childhood. Silly things like this mean so much more. Its a chance for them to be young again. It’s more binding than anything else.
Tommy grins at Tubbo and takes joy in helping nudge him down the hole into the pool of water at the bottom. “I still have more to show you, Bee boy. Time to see the fruits of my labor from these past couple months.”
Tubbo shook some of the water off of himself as Tommy joined him. Bright glowstone lights lined the walls leading down a hallway very similar to the one above. The most surprising thing was what laid at the end of the hallway. It opened up into a somewhat large circular room full of random gadgets and gear. None of it was particularly impressive or useful as far as Tubbo could tell.
Brewing stands coated a table to the right side of the room obscuring a small doorway that led out of the room while the left side was covered in the various gadgets and traps that Tommy must have made. Tubbo had never seen anything like this from Tommy before. Tommy always stole gear from others (mainly Technoblade or Tubbo himself). The brewing stands were definitely a bit of a concern to Tubbo though. There were a lot more stands than any one person would need.
“And these brewing stands are where I make my invis pots! I’ve taken to drinking them often. It’s the only way I can leave this place and feel safe these days!” Tommy cheerfully explains.
Tubbo looks horrified at that response. “You know that’s not good for you?! You aren’t supposed to take any potions in excess like that, Tommy!”
Tommy curls into himself just a little. Almost like a wilting flower. “I do know that. It’s just- It's the only way I can go outside. I drink one of these and then I can walk around and do whatever I want without anyone stopping me. I feel like I can be a kid again when I am invisible. Plus I don’t even run the risk of Dream seeing me!”
“What if someone notices the particles though? Surely that would be a bad situation for you.”
“Well, yeah, but I don’t know if you have noticed. There really isn’t anyone around here very often anymore. I rarely run into people when I go on walks and whatnot. I’m not too concerned. I feel safe. Safer than I have felt in ages, big man.” Tommy’s hand fiddles with the latches on his bag.
“Okay. Sure. But you have got to stop using those as often. Especially if we manage to beat Dream. You are well on your way to an addiction with those, Tom.”
“Okay, Tubbo. I’ll try.” Tommy is quick to brush off Tubbo’s concerns and move on with the tour and planning. Tubbo let it happen for now. Tommy didn’t seem to be fully himself right now. Tubbo knew better than to push him. After they defeat Dream, he can help Tommy stop using them. Maybe he could even get Philza to help. Philza knows more about potions than Tubbo does.
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After meeting again later in the evening to rehash the plan and lay out the supplies. Tubbo is quick to invite Tommy over to Snowchester. It takes a lot of convincing, but Tubbo is able to manhandle Tommy into coming with him. They could come back to the bunker really early tomorrow to get to work. Tubbo highly doubts that Dream would make a move on them when he probably doesn’t even know of their plan.
The walk over was very quiet for the two. Tubbo could see the exhaustion and anxiety dripping off Tommy in waves. He made a conscious effort to stay close to Tommy as they walk as a silent show of support. Tubbo’s just glad he was able to convince Tommy to stop working and come to Snowchester with him. He doesn’t know the last time Tommy ate something that wasn’t potatoes. They weren’t even cooked. It was very concerning.
Tubbo was quick to guide Tommy into his little house that he had been staying in since the Prison Break. Micheal was being taken care of by the ghost of Ranboo and Phil and Techno as far as Tubbo knew. Once this was all over, Tubbo would go get Micheal. Micheal could have a happy childhood wherever Tommy and Tubbo went. Maybe Tubbo could even help Tommy find Shroud. He doesn’t imagine that Shroud went very far considering how attached the spider was to Tommy. He probably just got scared and ran.
“You’re welcome to relax on the couch or at the kitchen table. I’m going to see what I can’t scrounge up for a meal.” Tubbo pushes Tommy into the living room gently.
“Alright Bee Boy.” Tommy spares him a small smile and drifts off to the kitchen table where he could clearly see what Tubbo was doing.
Tubbo didn’t have a lot of food in this small house these days. He had been meaning to go do some hunting and gathering soon before he received Tommy’s message. He should have some fish around here though. He could fillet some fish and add whatever else he could find. He might have the making for some salad around here too.
Tubbo took a moment to set a disc on the jukebox in the corner of the room. He didn’t have any of their main favorites but he did have stal which would fill the quietness of the room while he cooked.
During this time, Tommy was stuck in his thoughts staring in the direction of Tubbo cooking. Tubbo made sure to keep an eye on him as he cooked. This new Tommy alarmed him and he didn’t want Tommy to get any worse. There would be time for them to heal and recover after everything was said and done. They just had to succeed tomorrow.
“Here, Toms. Fish and some salad. I don’t have much to drink around here since I wasn’t expecting guests so I just have water.” Tubbo set a plate down in front of Tommy and pulled out the adjacent chair next to Tommy.
“Thanks Toby. It looks good.” Tommy’s smile really did seem more like a grimace as he said this.
Stal continued to fill the silence between them eating. There wasn’t much to be said when you were already best friends with the person with you. There was both too much to talk about and nothing to talk about. Tubbo wanted more explanation as to where Wilbur went, what Tommy has been up to, and even just how Tommy’s been. Now wasn’t the time for these questions though. Tubbo was going to enjoy the company of his best friend for now. He didn’t know what tomorrow would bring. It could very well bring both of their final deaths. Surprisingly, Tubbo was okay with that. He didn’t want to die, but he was willing to do anything for Tommy and if it meant going down with him then so be it.
As they finished the meal, Tubbo could see how exhausted and tired Tommy looked. He was quick to clear the table. “Big man, I think you might still have some spare sleep clothes somewhere upstairs if you would like to change. Your room should still be untouched up there so I’ll grab some clean, fresh sheets for you!”
Tommy nods and heads off towards the ladder to the second floor. It was weird to Tommy to be entering this room again. He never really used the room unless Ranboo or Tubbo would able to manhandle him into sleeping or resting when he was hanging out with them. He certainly hasn’t been in here in months. Dust settled on most of the surfaces although it appeared that Tubbo at least kept the room somewhat clean so it wouldn’t be too bad to sleep the night in. That thought did send a pang through Tommy’s heart. The fact that Tubbo would keep this room clean as if Tommy would come and visit at any moment and would need a space to stay in.
He didn’t hold on to that thought long as he dug in the dresser to find a sleep shirt and pants. Luckily, Tubbo was right in saying that he still have pajamas in this room. They weren’t anything special. They were just a set of fleece clothes that Tommy had made in his spare time during the building of the hotel. Tommy spent a lot of his evenings around the mansion and this house those days since it was the only time he was really able to hang out with Tubbo and Ranboo.
Just as he was finished getting dressed, a knock echoed on the door.
“Come in.” Tommy crossed the room to open the door for Tubbo.
Tubbo, dressed in soft-looking pajamas of his own, held clean grey sheets in his arms as well as some clean, fluffy blankets considering how cold it got around here during the night. “Here’s the clean sheets! Would you be willing to help me make the bed really quick?”
They pull the sheets and blankets over the bed in record time. “Alright. I’ll leave you to get some sleep. I expect you to sleep, big man. We are going to need it no matter what happens tomorrow. Just remember my room is at the end of the hall if you need me at all. Good night!”
“Night, Toby. See you in the morning.”
Tommy sighs and falls back onto the bed. He didn’t know how much sleep he was going to be able to get, but Tubbo was right in that they would need as much sleep as they could get for tomorrow. They had to be ready.
As Tommy crawls into the bed properly, he can hear the shuffling of Tubbo putting out the downstairs lights and heading towards his room at the end of the hall.
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An explosion echoes outside of the room. An alarm instantly starts ringing for a second before it is cut off. The Warden’s voice is echoing through the overhead speaker confirming Tommy’s worst nightmare. He was stuck. In this tiny obsidian room. With Dream.
His breath picked up at that thought alone.
The scene flickers to Dream looming over him with a potato in hand. He’s yelling about going to the afterlife. To go see Schlatt or Wilbur. All Tommy knew was that fear was essentially choking him. He couldn’t go through this again. Not again. Not ever.
Just as Dream swings his arm down, the scene changes to a manic Wilbur in limbo talking about solitaire and throwing cards around. And then it changes again to that fateful event of Wilbur pressing him about the tower in Logstedshire’s ruins. And then again to the prison with Wilbur and Dream. The discs hitting the lava. The burning smell of the vinyl and the visceral fear and pain of thinking those were his actual discs. And then him on his knees in the mud of that river bank. A boat reaching the middle of the water and a joyful Wilbur yelling about going home. To Utah. Leaving Tommy once more in a place he can’t follow.
Tommy launches out of his bed as the boat disappears in his dream. His heart is racing. He can’t catch his breath. There’s warm water dripping down his face as he heaves.
His hands scramble for his bag that he had set to the side of the bed. They clumsily fiddle with the lapses as he digs in the bag in panic. Finally, his hands grasp the cool potion bottle. He swiftly brings the invisibility pot up to his lips and downs it in one go.
He curls up into a ball in the corner of the bed that had been pushed into the corner of the room ages ago. He clutches his shirt as he tries for a deep breath. Trying to remember the breathing patterns that Puffy had taught him ages ago and that so many people had guided him through in the past.
The opening of his door startles a gasp out of him and Tubbo charges into the room.
“Tommy? I heard a scream.” Tubbo’s eyes scan the room looking for Tommy. “Tom. Where are you? Are you still in here?”
Tommy slaps a hand over his mouth in fear. He didn’t want Tubbo to see him right now even if he subconsciously knew that he was currently invisible. He didn’t want Tubbo to see him like this. He needed to prove that he was okay. That he could go through with their plans tomorrow. He had to. He had no other choice. This was the only way he could feel safe.
Tubbo’s voice softens as his eyes land on the glass bottle that had fallen off the bed without breaking. “Are you invisible right now? Oh, Toms.”
In the haze of his mind, Tommy didn’t pick up on the grief in Tubbo’s tone. After seeing the potion, Tubbo is quick to notice that indent in the bed as well as the particles that surrounded Tommy. He carefully and slowly makes his way towards the bed. The closer he gets the more he notices and hears. He can hear Tommy’s quick breaths as well as when he goes completely silent as he reaches the end of the bed.
Tubbo crouches at the edge, not moving any closer. “Hey, man. Do you think you listen to my voice for a bit and follow my breathing? You don’t need to move any closer to me or even touch me if you don’t want. I just don’t want you to pass out.”
Tubbo gently lays his hand out face up on the sheets in between the two friends. He starts counting out his breaths for Tommy. Tommy struggles for the first couple of minutes, but Tubbo is there reassuring him that he is fine. That he is okay. That nothing is happening right at this moment. He can take as many times as he needs to get his heart rate down.
As the panic slowly bleeds out, Tommy stretches his hand out to gently rest on Tubbo’s hand who doesn’t move his hand much other than to slowly tap the pattern out against the underside of Tommy’s hand.
Slowly yet surely, Tommy is able to get his breathing and heart rate back to a normal pace. Just in time for the invisibility potion to finally run out. Tubbo smiles softly at him as he reappears. “Hey, Tom.”
“Hey, Toby.” Tommy quietly mutters in response.
“Can I sit on the bed with you now?”
Tommy nods and shuffles a little closer to the wall to allow Tubbo to join him. Tubbo leaves enough space between them that Tommy could lean on him if he wanted or stay towards the wall. Tommy, in his exhausted mind, appreciates the gesture. They have done this routine with each other for so long now. They knew all the little nuances about each other and what does and doesn’t work for each other. It may have been months but that doesn’t change anything about their connection. Not one as strong as there.
“Want to talk about what triggered that at all?”
“No. Not really. It was more of a mix of a lot of the stuff that has happened over the last year. A horrible mix.” Tommy gently thumps his head against the wall behind him. He’s so exhausted, but he doesn’t really want to try and sleep again.
“Yeah?” Tubbo mimics his position and stares at the door across from where they are sitting.
“Yeah. I don’t know how likely it is that I am going to be able to sleep again after that.” Tommy slowly wipes his eyes and face.
“Do you want to join me in my room? The bed is bigger. We could share like old times. That always proved to work the best for us whenever we got nightmares.”
Tommy picks his head up and stares at Tubbo. “That doesn’t sound too bad. I’m so tired, bee boy. I really hope that tomorrow goes well so that I can sleep peacefully again. I won’t have to worry about that man ever again.”
Tommy leans his head onto Tubbo’s shoulder. Tubbo brings his arm up to wrap around him in response.
“Yup. Tomorrow.” Tubbo nudges him towards the edge of the bed as he starts to get up. “Come on. Let’s get to my room and try to get as much rest as we can, yeah?”
Tommy nods and follows after Tubbo.
Once in his room, they both curl up in the sheets and blankets that cover Tubbo’s somewhat large bed. They face each other and Tubbo is quick to bring Tommy in closer as a hug. Tommy sighs and leans into the hug.
“Tomorrow will be better. We’ll make it so.” Tommy mutters into his shoulder. “We just have to survive and succeed tomorrow and then we will be free finally. Things can be simple.”
“Yeah. I could even convince you to finally drop those invis pots. You won’t have to use them as much to feel safe. I just want us to be safe again and together. We could finally run away and create a place of our own. Just for us like I said all that time ago.”
“That sounds nice.” Tommy slowly shuts his eyes and lets the exhaustion take over. There was no need to focus on those things right this minute. He could sink into his best friend’s embrace and pretend that is the only place he ever needs to be. It is true though. Tubbo is all he needs these days and since the beginning. Tommy and Tubbo. Tubbo and Tommy. Always together. They would succeed tomorrow. They would make sure of it. For now, they could spend their night sleeping and resting together once more. Taking peace of mind in the presence of the one person that knows everything about the other and will do anything to protect each other. A rarity these days.